5 HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EXERCISES TO TRY OUT AT HOME
Stepping into the gym once the “circuit breaker” is completely lifted can be quite stressful and scary for many fitness lovers out there. This is because the gym is a common space shared by people from different walks of life, hence increasing the chances of contracting the deadly COVID-19.
However, gym and fitness centres may not necessarily pose a high risk since the premises will be properly sanitised and disinfected before opening its doors to the public. In the meantime, here are several highly effective home workouts to help you keep fit during the lockdown.
Burpees
Incorporating burpees as part of your workout regime is extremely beneficial as it works all the major muscles groups in your body simultaneously. This exercise can be separated into two parts – it starts with a standing position and then moves into a plank pose and push-up before ending with a leap into the air. It is an amazing workout to build strength and endurance, burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. If you include burpees in your high-intensity interval training (HIIT) routine, you will be able to attain maximum physical and mental benefits in a short period
Burpees are also the perfect full-body workout, and by completing as many repetitions as you can within a certain amount of time, you will successfully strengthen the muscles in your legs, hips, glutes, abdomen, arms, chest and shoulders. In fact, it can also help your cardiovascular health tremendously as it enhances your heart and lungs capabilities, improves cholesterol levels and brain functions as well as reduces blood pressure and risk of chronic diseases. If you’re an active person and find the regular burpees too easy, try switching things up by jumping onto a box after each push-up or adding light weights to your routine.
Dance
Swaying your body to the rhythm of your favourite music can be extremely beneficial for your physical and mental health. It helps to improve your social life as you will be able to find new friends who share the same interest in dancing. The best thing about dancing is that it is apt for anyone, regardless of age, gender or social background. It is low impact and can improve one’s cardiovascular health. For best results, it is recommended to dance for anywhere between 150-300 minutes per work to keep your heart healthy.
Dancing is also able to enhance your cognitive performance and challenge your brain. It improves the area of the brain that controls memory and skills as dance requires one to change their movements constantly and recall different choreographies. For instance, Sh’Bam is a dance routine that can be practiced indoors during the lockdown because you only need a stable internet connection and a can-do attitude. Sh’Bam is a great house exercise as it focuses on fun and getting your heart rate up. It blends choreography that is tailored to a mix of popular songs, dance music and modern Latin beats. If you are a beginner, just follow the steps at your own pace, and if at all you find the instructor going too fast, just rewind the video and repeat the steps. After all, dancing is all about having a great time while burning some caloriesYoga
Yoga involves a number of elements which are breathing exercises, meditation and poses. It supplies your body with several physical and mental health benefits. These include relaxing your mind and body as well as reducing stress. Yoga can also treat anxiety attacks. A study was recently conducted on 34 women who suffered from an anxiety disorder. They were asked to join yoga classes twice a week for a span of two months. After this period, these women were analysed again, and the study found that their anxiety levels had dropped significantly compared to those who were part of a controlled group who did not practice yoga.
Yoga can also be an amazing antidepressant. This is particularly important during this “circuit breaker” period as people are forced to stay indoors more, possibly resulting in depression. The antidepressant effect of yoga may be attributed to decreased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone which adversely affects serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has multiple roles, including stabilising mood and social behaviour. Gentle flow yoga incorporates basic yoga poses as part of a regime. The smooth transition from one pose to another will help you to improve your stability and reduce stress. Additionally, the breathing technique that you will master will also help you to calm your mind and restore mental and physical balance.
Squats
Another great exercise that works several muscles in your upper and lower body simultaneously is squats. It is both dynamic and functional in nature as it activates important muscles used to carry out daily tasks. Some examples of these movements are walking, climbing up and down or carrying things. It is also important to assist you in performing other types of exercises and athletic functions.
If executed properly, the squat can build and improve the muscle tone of some muscles located in your lower body. These include your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hip adductors and flexors. If that’s not all, squats can also strengthen your core. Doing different variations of this exercise can get other muscle groups in your body working, keep your workout regime interesting and help you stay motivated.Push-Ups
The push-up is an exceptional exercise to build the strength of your upper body. If done in the right manner, you will be able to witness growth and strength of the triceps, pectoral and shoulder muscles in no time. However, if the same push-up variation is performed for the long run, your body will eventually move to a plateau state. A plateau is when your body is not able to gain the same physical benefits as it used to.
Therefore, one of the easiest ways to challenge your body with push-ups during this restricted movement period is to take part in a fitness challenge. You can set a goal of completing 100 push-ups every day and add a different variations into the routine. Identify which muscle groups in your body that you want to work on and create a push-up challenge regime based on those goals. For example, performing 30 decline push-ups, 40 regular push-ups and 30 incline push-ups daily can tone your chest muscles to the way you want it.
When it comes to improving the quality of health, it all boils down to you and how bad you want it. If you are thinking of enhancing your mind and body well-being, these workouts and exercises can help you reach your goals. After some time, you will not only be happy and satisfied with the physical results, but also find a liking for the whole process. Take full advantage of the time at home now to commit to quality home-based exercises to achieve maximum output and bring forward the same momentum into the gym once the lockdown is lifted. Stay safe and keep fit.
References:
https://time.com/5795492/gym-fitness-studio-coronavirus/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-do-a-burpee
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-dance#benefits
https://www.fitnessfirst.com.my/highlights/facebook-live-workouts
https://www.fitnessfirst.com.my/classes/other-classes/shbam
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232248
https://www.fitnessfirst.com.my/classes/exclusive-signature-classes/gentle-flow-yoga
https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/squats-benefits
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/pushups-everyday#risks
